Yesterday was spent in Bedford at Sue's workshop.
A pretty bird picture and a bag were on offer, but as I did not have time to get ready for either I worked on two bags I had already done the machine embroidery for.
Both patterns the frog and boot are favorites of mine.
It was a great day with lots of chat and sharing of ideas, plus some sewing!

Sunday, 26 May 2013

Wales was such a wonderful trip I did not want to come home. The peace and quiet, the wonderful scenery and the incredible views on our off road trips made it very special.
BUT... look what awaited us on our return, the garden had suddenly burst into flower.

18th to 25th May Chris and I spent in a mobile home on a farm miles from anywhere. The weather was great, only one day of rain/hail. The trip was planned around Green Laneing, and Chris has researched lots of routes for us to follow... some VERY scary but all with magnificant views. This is our holiday in photos.

Friday, 17 May 2013

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Well at last things are moving in the garden, my two large Rhododendron bushes are starting to burst into flower, the white one has cowslips growing under it.
I am trying to "sort out" my body! My knees are really bad and although I joined Curves gym over a year ago, which has helped a lot , I have done little about my eating habits. Having been told about the Eat Clean way of eating [ I don't think of it as a diet] I am trying to change my eating habits. In the past two weeks I have managed to loose 4 lbs and already feel a lot better. The two litres of water a day are a real challenge.

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

The yahoo group BQLPC hold regular swaps, and I signed up for the 2013 birthday swap, so each month I like to prepare the cards for the following month.
I really like the 3 bird PC's that will be going to Irene in Scotland, Joanne in France and Marion in England for their June birthdays.

Yesterday I made a visit to the London Temple. This meant a 6am start ! The sun shone and there was little traffic until I hit the M25 !! commonly called the 'car park' it lived up to its name.
I had a wonderful Temple visit and enjoyed my lunch overlooking the gardens. The drive home was not so good, as I broke down and had to be rescued by road side assistance. Home at 5.30 very tired and cold as it rained all the way home.

Saturday, 11 May 2013

Another nice day out using the BYWAYS around Thrapston. Many are temporarily closed due to Health & Safety ! One BYWAY we found was almost too narrow to walk down let alone take the car.
Under the hedgerows were covered in cowslips, one of my favourite flowers.

Many British byways are sinuous, as the poet G. K. Chesterton wrote in The Rolling English Road:

The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road,
A reeling road, a rolling road, that rambles round the shire . . .
A merry road, a mazy road, and such as we did tread
The night we went to Birmingham by way of Beachy Head

Thursday, 9 May 2013

Today's "sit n Sew" at Poppy Patch was very productive. I managed to insert zips and make the backings for three cushions, pictured here with out the inserts.
Also completed hand sewing the binding down on the ME swap block quilt.

The ABC Linus quilt top was completed, but needs wadding and backing etc, before I can call it complete.

Saturday, 4 May 2013

In the last couple of years I took part in three machine embroidery swaps. The first was a bird on a blue background, then flowers and finally butterflies.
The blocks have been stacked in a corner of my workroom as they are all different sizes and I could not decide how to put them together.

I decided just to go for it... added a 1 inch border to all of them having cut them into squares or oblongs. Next I just started sewing at random [ a hard thing for me] and making them fit by adding extra strips of fabric to fill in gaps.

Two blocks left over will be used for something else, but I am quite pleased to have it all in one piece now, and will probably put a fleece backing on it, and use as a snuggle quilt to remind myself of all the friends that made the blocks.